Starting school tips for parents

December 9, 2018

Starting school can be different depending on the age. We have provided you with some helpful tips to help your child at each stage.

Pre-school (2-4 Years)

This is one of the first times your child starts to attend school and needs to start adapting to a daily school routine. Children at this level worry about certain issues such as when are their parents coming back? Where are they? What if they don’t want to stay? Under these circumstances you need to let ease your child into becoming comfortable with the new school and get used to dealing with new people. Plan to stay with your child at school for the first few days, to help them with the new changes their going through. If your child is still finding it difficult to stay without you try to get them interested in something they would like doing such as playing with blocks or toys. The school teacher can also be of great assistance as she/he is there for your child and has experience in knowing how to make your child feel comfortable and welcome.

Kindergarten (4-6 Years)

This stage should be much easier for your child as they are used to going to school every day and not having you with them. The only part of kindergarten children need to adapt to is the longer hours of school and being introduced to new children. Your child will most likely get comfortable to the change after about a week or so, and once it becomes part of their daily routine.

First and Second Grade (6-8 Years)

At this stage your child should be used to the school and the daily routine. They might have some problems with separation such as missing their friends from last year or their old teacher. Some children may also have trouble letting go of the last days of kindergarten and starting a more structured routine. If your child is moving to a new school at this stage you will want to ease them into it just as you would have before, but do it in a more suitable way for their age.

Third through Sixth Grade (8-12 Years)

At this age your child will be very familiar with the school and are usually happy to return. Their biggest problems will be liking the new teacher, studying or homework. Your child might need your help with homework, especially in the beginning of the year, so it would be very helpful if you have an idea of what they are studying and go through their homework together regularly. Parents also need to be prepared that as their child grows up they may not want to share every little detail about school the way they used to before because they start to feel more grown up, and are able to handle certain situations by themselves. It can be hard for the parent at first but they have to understand that they might need to give their child some space and privacy